15 February, 2017

China plans floating nuclear power plants by 2020

China’s
next generation nuclear vision includes rolling out a series of
floating marine power plants to light up offshore initiatives by
2020, a government spokesperson for science and technology has
confirmed.

A
five-year-plan published in March 2016 detailed China’s desire to
boost its nuclear generating capacity. The development plan also
pledged to “strengthen” sea oil and gas exploration, a goal that
would be buoyed by offshore nuclear sites.

According
to Wang Yiren, a director at China’s State Administration of
Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, floating
nuclear stations will help provide the extra juice necessary for
powering China.

Yiren
told China’s Science and Technology Daily that offshore energy
supplies such as diesel generators are inefficient for offshore
initiatives such as oil drilling.

He
confirmed floating power platforms are a major component of China’s
latest five-year plan, while the Atomic Energy Agency has conducted
research into key technology for the development.